Perkins County, South Dakota solar and wind ordinance
Solar: 1,000 ft from property lines, 1 mile from homes, 1,000 ft from roads. Wind: 1 mile from homes, 3 × height (public roads) from roads, 640 acres minimum lot. Every figure is quoted from the county's ordinance, read October 7, 2026.
Updated October 2026
Solar rules
6 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Property line setbackA. Parcel Lines. SES facilities and related equipment shall maintain a minimum setback of 1,000 feet from all parcel lines. | 1,000 ft |
Setback from homesC. Occupied Buildings. SES facilities and related equipment shall maintain a minimum setback of one (1) mile to any existing occupied buildings at the time of SES Permit application | 1 mile |
Road setbackB. Public Roads. SES facilities and related equipment shall maintain a minimum setback of 1000 feet from the edge of any public right-of-way. | 1,000 ft |
Maximum heightground mounted2. Height. All SES equipment and structures shall not exceed 25 feet in height when ground mounted. | 25 ft |
Minimum lot size3. Minimum Lot Size. A SES facility may not be constructed on any lot or parcel of land less than 160 acres in size. | 160 acres |
Decommissioning bondtotal decommissioning costsThe decommissioning bond (or equivalent) must be at 105% of the total decommissioning costs (not including the salvage value of equipment), based on the Decommissioning Report or updates thereof. | 105% |
Source: Perkins County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
Wind rules
7 figures read from the county's ordinance, each with the sentence it comes from.
| Rule and what the ordinance says | Requirement |
|---|---|
Setback from homesD. Occupied Buildings. Large WES facilities and related equipment shall maintain a minimum setback of one (1) mile to any existing occupied buildings at the time of WES Permit application | 1 mile |
Road setbackpublic roadsB. Public Roads. All WES facilities shall maintain a minimum setback from public road(s) a distance of not less than three (3) times the turbine height of the WES unit, as measured from the nearest edge of the right-of-way line along any public road. | 3 × height |
Setback from FAA registered airportsC. Airports. All WES facilities shall maintain a minimum setback of two (2) miles from all FAA registered airports and must comply with all applicable FAA regulations, including any necessary approvals. | 2 miles |
Property line setback, participating ownerParticipating Landowner Parcel LinesA. Participating Landowner Parcel Lines. All WES facilities shall maintain a minimum setback from all Participating Landowner’s parcel lines at a distance not less than five (5) times the turbine height of each WES unit, as measured to the nearest point along the parcel line. | 5 × height |
Minimum lot size1. Minimum Lot Size. A Large WES Facility may not be constructed on any parcel of land less than 640 acres in size. | 640 acres |
Noise limitclosest parcel lineLarge WES Facilities shall not exceed 45 dBA (decibels, A weighted) as measured at the closest parcel line at the time of WES Permit application. | 45 dBA |
Decommissioning bondtotal decommissioning costsThe decommissioning bond (or equivalent) must be at 105% of the total decommissioning costs (not including the salvage value of equipment), based on the decommissioning plan or updates thereof. | 105% |
Source: Perkins County ordinance (PDF), read October 7, 2026. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
South Dakota state law
State law can cap or override county rules. All South Dakota rules and counties.
State siting: South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
Wind and solar projects of 100 MW or more (solar measured AC) need a PUC facility permit, decided within nine months; smaller projects are permitted by the county alone.
SDCL 49-41B-2(13), (16) and 49-41B-4 (definitions amended by SL 2025, ch 193). Source
Wind standards in state law
Applies statewide to every large wind turbine (tower 75 ft or taller), whatever its size or permitting authority; an adjacent owner can agree in writing to a shorter distance.
| Property line | 500 ft or 1.1 × tower height, whichever is greater (neighbor may waive) |
SDCL 43-13-21 to 43-13-24 (SL 2009, ch 221). Source
Wind standards in state law
Applies to wind facilities the PUC permits (100 MW and up) after July 1, 2019: obstruction lights must be radar-activated.
| Aviation lighting | Aircraft detection lighting system required |
SDCL 49-41B-25.2 (SL 2019, ch 201). Source
Every South Dakota figure in one spreadsheet
123 figures from 19 counties, each with its quote, source, date read and any condition. 4 of those places are not on this site. Plus the moratorium or ban on file and South Dakota state law.
How these figures were read
We found Perkins County's own ordinance and had two AI models read it separately. A figure is shown only when both read the same number and the sentence it comes from was found in the document. Moratoria and bans are checked against the adopting document. Ordinances change and many figures apply only in some cases, so check the cited section with the county before relying on one.
Common questions
What are the solar setbacks in Perkins County, SD?
The county's ordinance sets solar facilities back 1,000 ft from property lines, 1,000 ft from roads and 1 mile from homes. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
How tall can a solar farm be in Perkins County, SD?
The ordinance sets a maximum height of 25 ft (ground mounted). Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What is the minimum lot size for a solar farm in Perkins County, SD?
The ordinance sets a minimum lot size of 160 acres. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.
What are the wind turbine setbacks in Perkins County, SD?
The county's ordinance sets wind turbines back 3 × height (public roads) from roads and 1 mile from homes. Check the cited section with the county before relying on a figure.